Gemotions

The cafe smelled of roasted coffee beans and quiet desperation. Sarah tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the table, a rhythmic counterpoint to the nervous drumming of the man across from her. He was blathering on about his love for artisanal cheeses, a topic she’d just heard him enthusiastically dissect for her last Tuesday. A tiny, almost imperceptible twitch played at the corner of her lips.

His phone buzzed. He glanced at it, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Sorry," he mumbled, "gotta go. Big work thing." He stood, knocking over his chair in his haste. Sarah watched him scramble, a peculiar lightness bubbling in her chest.

"You know," she said, her voice laced with an almost musical quality, "I think I saw you at the farmer's market last Saturday. With someone who *really* appreciated the goat cheese." A sly smile tugged at her mouth as she watched his face fall, his complexion draining of all color.